What Are Adult Stem Cells?

by Stemedix | Aug 15, 2022 | Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells are essential in understanding human development, disease, injury, and potential treatments and cures. However, since the initial research on these critical cells began with embryonic stem cells, many people dismiss the benefits of stem cell research and treatment as controversial. Unfortunately, that dismissal ignores what may be of adult stem cells, which are more commonly used in therapies today. Adult stem cells provide the same benefits as embryonic stem cells but with some limitations. 

What Are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are unique cells found in the human body that are the only cells that can differentiate into new cell types. Depending on the need, stem cells can divide and create brain, muscle, and blood cells, as well as various other specialized cells in the body. This ability earned them the label of the “building blocks of cells.”

Stem cells may also help repair damaged tissues, allowing them to play a critical role in managing condition and injury symptoms.

What Are the Types of Stem Cells?

There are two primary forms of stem cells – embryonic and adult. 

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells come from a blastocyst, an early-stage embryo before it implants. In the very early days of forming a human, cells reach a blastocyst stage, which occurs about four to five days after fertilization. 

Embryonic stem cells are particularly valuable since they can divide unlimitedly under the right conditions. Since these are the very first cells the body forms to make a human, they can become all types of cells. In addition, they are pluripotent, meaning they can become many types of cells. 

The embryonic stem cells used in research now come from unused embryos donated from in-vitro procedures.

Adult Stem Cells

Adult stem cells have two main types. One type of adult stem cell comes from tissue inside the body, such as bone marrow, fat tissue, or skin tissue. However, the number of stem cells in these tissues is limited, and they can only differentiate into specific types of cells, making them multipotent, not pluripotent. 

Scientists have discovered ways to change adult stem cells in a lab to make them pluripotent, like embryonic stem cells. These are induced pluripotent stem cells, and they still come from adult tissue. 

Stem Cell Therapy

Currently, physicians and scientists may use hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to help manage conditions. HSCs are adult cells found in the bone marrow. Recently, researchers have found strong evidence that HSCs are pluripotent and may serve as the source of most cells in the body. MSCs are a multipotent cell that can differentiate into different tissues in the body and are found in adipose (fat), umbilical cord, and bone marrow tissues. 

While the early years of stem cell research focused on embryonic stem cells, researchers are now uncovering the capability of adult stem cells and discovering new and exciting ways to help patients with managing their conditions and injuries with these unique cells. To learn more about the services offered at Stemedix, contact us today!

Stem Cell Therapy for Fibromyalgia

by Stemedix | Jul 25, 2022 | Stem Cell Therapy

Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. It’s estimated that up to 2% of adults in the United States suffer from the condition, with women affected almost twice as frequently as men. Here we will learn about Stem Cell Therapy for Fibromyalgia.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a medical condition where sufferers experience widespread pain throughout their bodies. In addition, they can also endure sleep disturbances, fatigue, and emotional and mental distress.

Patients with fibromyalgia may also be more sensitive to pain, a condition called abnormal pain perception processing. While the origin of fibromyalgia is unknown, experts believe a malfunctioning nervous system may be the cause. 

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine aimed at managing the root cause of pain and disease. Stem cells lie dormant throughout the body until they’re activated as part of a healing response. 

Mesenchymal stem cells are different from other cells found in the body, as stem cells are the only cells that can differentiate into specialized cells instead of solely producing more stem cells. 

When stem cells divide, they can create another stem cell and a specialized cell, like a blood cell or a muscle cell. The specialized cell can then heal or replace damaged cells. 

How Can Stem Cell Therapy Treat Fibromyalgia?

Current treatments for patients with fibromyalgia include prescription and over-the-counter medications, stress management techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exercise. While these treatments are often effective, they don’t address the underlying cause of fibromyalgia. 

However, many studies examining stem cells for managing fibromyalgia offer promising results. In addition, stem cell therapy’s potential in managing autoimmune disorders may also provide the key to fibromyalgia treatments. 

Stem cells possess immunoregulatory properties that help to manage the body’s immune response and reduce inflammation. Patients with conditions aggravated by inflammation, especially those in the nervous system, may find relief as the inflammation subsides.

Specifically, stem cell therapy treatments targeting neuroinflammation in the brain may offer the potential to correct signals in the nervous system and reduce abnormal pain perception processing. 

Additionally, stem cells release growth factors or cytokines into their injection points. The growth factors serve as part of the process of replacing damaged cells. Researchers believe that patients with fibromyalgia may have a unique cytokine profile that increases inflammation. 

Explorations in stem cell therapies for fibromyalgia show that the new cytokines may repair and replace the pro-inflammatory cytokines aggravating the condition. 

Fibromyalgia Patients May Soon Find Relief

As studies and trials exploring the benefits of stem cell therapy in managing fibromyalgia continue, patients may soon have a new treatment option that targets the cause of the condition instead of simply managing symptoms. Patients are already beginning to see results in several preliminary treatments. If you would like to learn more about Stem Cell Therapy for Fibromyalgia, contact us today at Stemedix!